I thought I'd get a topic going where people can post a little bit about his/her artistic process and what tools he/she uses when creating a comic.I'll get started to show what I mean...When I do my weekly,- I start out with a rough script/dialogue (hopefully provided by my writer buddy).- I then rough the comic panel-by-panel (or layout first if the strip requires any) in ArtRage 2 with the pencil tool.- I export the panels as a layered PSD and import them as keyframes into Flash where I then ink/paint the characters/FG elements. Inking is done with the brush tool with smoothing turned on (I then use the Cmd key to tweak any misshapen lines as I go)- Once inked/painted, I lay the panels out side-by-side and export as a PNG- I pull the PNG into Photoshop where I begin painting the backgrounds (all together in one layer) and then begin adding texture with custom brushes.- I then finish by adding the dialogue, speech bubbles, and FX in Photoshop.- All this is done on my wonderful Axiotron Modbook :) I use a Cintiq @ work and this feels exactly the same.I'd love to hear how any of you do your comic start-to-finish and what tools you might use! Please share!--Eric
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*First, I get some lined paper like you use for school. Then I partition it into however many panels per page it feels like should be there.
*Then I write the script.
*After that I take a Blue Line Pro page and use a ruler to pencil in the panels.
*Then I ink them (generally I use a Rotring Art pen).
*Next I pencil in the art, including the dialog balloons so I have a fair idea of where they're going to go.
*Next I ink the pencil work but not the dialog balloons. After everything's inked, the pencils get erased.
*Because the art's so large, I take it to a local UPS store and reduce it down 65 percent on the photocopier. I take those and scan them into the computer using Photoshop CS (was using Photoshop 7, but I've moved up a bit. Tried using CS3 but my 'puter's too slow, boo hoo).
*After cleaning it up, I turn it into an eps or tiff file, then open that up in Illustrator and add the dialog.
*If it's black and white, I use ComicWorks 1 and 2 to add tones to it.
*If it's color, I used to use Corel 10, but now I'm learning to use Photoshop CS to add color in layers. It takes time, though. That's why I prefer working in tones.
*When it's done I save the files as psd's unless they are going online, then they're turned into jpegs.
All the stuff I do on computer represents hours my devoted, loving, caring husband spent training me how to do it. I've learned a few tricks on the Deviantart site, but Bill's my computer whiz. Love you, Hon!
I just wondering, have you thought about have UPS Store scan your BLP page into jepg file and save into jumpdrive or burn into disc. So that you don't use your scanner into your computer and save you more time.
Kathleen Webb > Joshua HeusinkveldAugust 8, 2008 at 8:53am
Thanks for the info. I didn't know they could do that, but I prefer to scan it in myself so I can make sure it's where I want it on a page, and at the dpi I want it to be.
HEY! I use COMICWORKS too for tones. It's so cool! For coloring I use
CG illust.ver.2 . I have Corel Painter X ( 10 ) but haven;t taken the time to learn all the different brushes yet. I also have Photoshop 3 Elements but use it mostly for pasteing together panels and resizing file sizes. I also have a 4 x 5 WACOM tablet.
Ooo, forgot to mention I have a Wacom now, too, a little one, but it gets the job done. I'm still learning how to use it, mostly use it for doing hair. Another tool the Dear Husband provided me with and taught me how to use. Hmm, guess he's a keeper. ;-)
Hi there! I only do comics up to the storyboard level, but if anyone wants to try doing them this way... I recommend to all aspiring writers to practice storyboarding. It gives you a feel for the amount of space your dialogs are going to take up on the pages. Because I don't have a good sense for the amount of space my word balloons will take up, I do it backwards. 1) Draw some freehand panels on a sheet of paper. Do a stick figure sketch with the rough placement of the dialog balloons in each panel. 2) Use Microsoft Works or some other word processing program to make pages of blank panels. 3) Use Paintshop Pro or some other art program to place the dialog balloons, and then draw the stick figures and backgrounds around them. 4) If you don't like the results, (too crowded, characters eclipsed by word balloons, etc) then rework your script and start over. Real comic creators do the lettering after the art, and perhaps at some point I will learn to estimate dialog dimensions too. But for now, this is a decent way to make sure my writing fits on a page with some space for the artist to express himself:)
Actually- Many many pro comic artists these days use fonts- very few do lettering (but agreed that some do). You can find a great deal of good comic lettering fonts at www.dafont.com or, create your own even. I make all my word balloons using paths in Photoshop-- I create the paths, convert them into selections and then color them in however.
Replies
*Then I write the script.
*After that I take a Blue Line Pro page and use a ruler to pencil in the panels.
*Then I ink them (generally I use a Rotring Art pen).
*Next I pencil in the art, including the dialog balloons so I have a fair idea of where they're going to go.
*Next I ink the pencil work but not the dialog balloons. After everything's inked, the pencils get erased.
*Because the art's so large, I take it to a local UPS store and reduce it down 65 percent on the photocopier. I take those and scan them into the computer using Photoshop CS (was using Photoshop 7, but I've moved up a bit. Tried using CS3 but my 'puter's too slow, boo hoo).
*After cleaning it up, I turn it into an eps or tiff file, then open that up in Illustrator and add the dialog.
*If it's black and white, I use ComicWorks 1 and 2 to add tones to it.
*If it's color, I used to use Corel 10, but now I'm learning to use Photoshop CS to add color in layers. It takes time, though. That's why I prefer working in tones.
*When it's done I save the files as psd's unless they are going online, then they're turned into jpegs.
All the stuff I do on computer represents hours my devoted, loving, caring husband spent training me how to do it. I've learned a few tricks on the Deviantart site, but Bill's my computer whiz. Love you, Hon!
http://christiancomicart.ning.com/photo/photo/show?id=544853%3APhot...
Then here is a link to Comicworks and CGillust, my color software.
http://www.deleter.jp/eng/
CG illust.ver.2 . I have Corel Painter X ( 10 ) but haven;t taken the time to learn all the different brushes yet. I also have Photoshop 3 Elements but use it mostly for pasteing together panels and resizing file sizes. I also have a 4 x 5 WACOM tablet.
...the tools I loved to use are discontinued by the manufacturer anyway, and it's all your fault for not buying enough of them!-
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